Newbie Questions

[Overbyte]

Hello all,
What a great forum. I am happy to find you. Lots of knowledge here in a non hostile environment.
I am a long time rider about to pull the trigger on a, new to me, GL1800.
The bike is 2014 basic GL18, black on black, 2,300 miles.
I am quite excited to get it, just waiting for the rain to stop.

My questions:
Are there any issues I should look for in my pre-purchase inspection?
Any peculiarities in riding an caring for the bike?
Any other advice that would be helpful to a geezer transitioning from BMWs.

Thanx in advance.
Overbyte

[topgun]

Suggest carrying a towel so can wipe the smile off your face periodically.

[harvey01]

Welcome to the Forum from VA!

You are moving from a great sport toured to a luxury tourer. The first difference is the weight as the GL1800 is a lot heavier than the RT. Both bikes have good acceleration and braking (I think the Wing has the better brakes). As far as suspension, well the RT probably wins that category as the Wing is set up for a more comfortable ride. In spite of the additional weight and size the GL1800 will turn in less space than the RT. It handles quite well, if you learn how.

One thing to be aware of is the tendency for some of the post 2012 Wings to have a slight hesitation when starting the ride if not fully warmed up. Some have this problem, some don't. Guhl Engineering has successfully reprogramed the ECM's for some and solved the problem. Electrical Connection also sells module that solves the problem but don't worry about this as it is fixable.

There is a lot more bling available for a GL1800 than the RT. Most comes from aftermarket suppliers and not Honda.

There are a number of electronic add-ons that the Wing can accommodate but Bluetooth is not integral to the Wing. Options for headsets and Bluetooth are readily available from J&M Audio, Sena, Edsets and others.

One big difference is the clothing worn by the riders. BMW has always stressed the need to wear proper protective gear. Honda merely suggests and you will see Honda riders in shorts and flip flops and tank tops as well as those in full protective gear. Likewise with helmets although most probably do wear at least a 3/4 helmet as opposed to a "brain bucket".

As far as care, follow the instructions in the Owners Manual (make sure it comes with the bike and hopefully a tool kit although Honda probably does not include them anymore due t high reliability). You will get as many different oil suggestions as there are brands, just be sure you do use motorcycle specific oil that meets the standards in the manual. Many have had great results switching to synthetic oil. Oil filters are also debated as to value, I prefer the Honda filter but others work well also.

And most important, take this thing out and ride the tires off! Have fun and enjoy the miles of smiles!

[joeincalif]

harvey01 wrote
Honda merely suggests and you will see Honda riders in shorts and flip flops and tank tops as well as those in full protective gear. Likewise with helmets although most probably do wear at least a 3/4 helmet as opposed to a "brain bucket".

I don't think anyone suggests that.

[Red Ron]

Even though you probably won't need it you might want to check into buying the factory 4 year extended warranty. You have to buy it before the 3 year warranty runs out. You can purchase it from any dealer and it can be had for $450 - $500. With that milage you are basically getting a new bike. Keep the oil changed. Change the final drive oil every other oil change. I change the coolant every 3 years and brake and clutch fluids ever other year. Many check the valve clearance but I never did on either of my wings. Put 100k on the first one and ran like new until the day i traded it. Other than that you should get 150K at least without any major work required on it.

[harvey01]

harvey01 wrote
Honda merely suggests and you will see Honda riders in shorts and flip flops and tank tops as well as those in full protective gear. Likewise with helmets although most probably do wear at least a 3/4 helmet as opposed to a "brain bucket".

I don't think anyone suggests that.

Joe, I apologize as I think you misunderstood my comments. Honda suggests wearing full protective clothing is what I meant! The other is done by rider choice definitely not at Honda's suggestion!